The Crow and the Butterfly
by NoSaviour
Summary: Uchiha was the most powerful clan in the demon world. One day, Sasuke follwed his brother to the human world for the first time. For Itachi, however, he had already gone there numerous times, where he had passed most of his time gazing outside his window. ItaSasuSaku.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**The Crow and the Butterfly**: Uchiha was the most powerful clan in the demon world. One day, Sasuke follwed his brother to the human world for the first time. For Itachi, however, he had already gone there numerous times, where he had passed most of his time gazing outside his window. ItaSasuSaku.

**Inspired By**: The song, "The Crow and the Butterfly" by Shinedown.

* * *

**The Crow and the Butterfly**

_Just like a crow chasing a butterfly_

1. Watch

* * *

"Sasuke, have you been to the human world?" Her voice was gentle and warm, as it always had been for her favourite child.

Sasuke was about to shake his head no when the door slammed open. Uchiha Fugaku stood imposingly, and his icy words pierced the hall.

"There is no need for him to go there, Mikoto. Humans and demons are separate beings."

Mikoto raised her eyebrows, unafraid of his daunting voice. In fact, Sasuke thought he caught a glimpse of a humoured smile behind her dark, chocolate eyes.

"Father." The single word caught everyone in surprise, even the great Fugaku, though he appeared unaffected.

"Itachi," Mikoto warmly addressed her first son, her smile as pleasant as ever.

Nodding to his mother once, Itachi then directed to Fugaku, "Aren't you contradicting yourself?" His piercing coal-black eyes secretively fluttered to Mikoto's direction.

Itachi knew his mother had mortal blood. He wasn't sure if she was wholly human, or she had been born a half-demon half-human, but he was sure of the human blood in her.

Fugaku cluck his tongue in annoyance, obviously bothered by the fact that his son's perception seemed to be growing every day, almost too quickly. Perhaps, his son had already surpassed him, but he didn't really want to find out.

After all, in the demon world, Uchiha was the most powerful clan, and of the said clan, Fugaku was the most respected and honoured. He felt too young to lose his position, now.

Wordlessly, he left his family, so he could pursuit some way to practice his power so that at the very least, his skills stayed over his son's.

Meanwhile, Itachi motioned Sasuke over, who walked silently, curious. A familiar finger poked the young Uchiha in the forehead. Like Fugaku, Sasuke cluck his tongue in annoyance.

"Brother, I'm too old for that," he grumbled under his breath, though secretly, he was glad of the familiar gesture.

"Sasuke, I'll take you to the human world." Itachi's lips formed a smile that appeared cold and indifferent, but was really more affectionate under the surface.

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms nonchalantly, but inside, he was swelling with excitement. Beside the two boys, Mikoto stifled a giggle, too happy to watch their rather light-hearted interaction.

. . .

"Brother."

Itachi turned around, waiting patiently for Sasuke.

"This is the door to the cellar."

He gave his younger brother a nod, but made no move to speak. Silently, the talented Uchiha formed indecipherable signs with his hands, and finally, his black eyes turned to a red glow. The door appeared to have undergone no changes at all, and Sasuke inwardly rolled his eyes.

Dismissing his brother's suspicion, Itachi gestured courteously to the door. Hesitantly, Sasuke's hand wrapped around the ancient doorknob, twisted it, and the door creaked open.

Sasuke turned back once; his eyebrows raised at his brother, and upon seeing Itachi nod once, Sasuke walked in.

And then the two walked out into a bustling street.

Sasuke, for the first time witnessing the human world, stood startled by the intensity of it. There were so many people, so many shops, and most of all, so much light. He would need some time getting adjusted to that.

Behind the two, the door noiselessly closed shut, but Sasuke sensed it and sharply turned back to inspect the door.

Hesitantly, he opened the door, and instead of the hallway of the demon world they had come from, Sasuke instead found a small home. It appeared that only Itachi knew the right seals to perform in order to transport them back to the demon world, and Sasuke silently sighed, annoyed.

"I've already done some research, Sasuke," Itachi guided his brother through the door, into the small house. "And I've decided to enroll you into what is called a "high school." It is somewhat similar to the training you used to get in the demon world."

Sasuke vaguely remembered his training. That had taken him about four years, and he glanced at Itachi, curious of how long they'll be staying in the human world. Instead of replying the silent question, Itachi walked further into the house, which seemed fairly large in contrast to its small physique on the outside.

There was one set of stairs, for it was a two-storey home, and there, Itachi went. Without hesitance, but with utmost familiarity, as if he's done it countless times already, his form gracefully slid to the window. Silently, he opened it, and the burst of life from the street filled the house. Mindlessly, the older Uchiha rested his elbow on the windowsill, with his head on his head.

Behind him, Sasuke had followed Itachi in his wake, and curiously observed his brother who was dazedly gazing out the window. Perhaps it was the human life.

Itachi's blank black eyes did not roam the street, but rested firmly on a porch of a house across theirs. A few moments later, the door burst open and a pink-haired girl walked out.

"I'm going, mom!" She gave a wave, and then halted suddenly when a distant voice called out, "Can you pick out a flower for me, Sakura?"

"Sure! Ino will know the best kind in this season!" Sakura chirped cheerfully, and was about to skip away and disappear into the ground when she abruptly stopped again.

Her bright pink hair swooshed around as her head snapped back, and then when she spotted a dark figure behind the second-floor window, watching her, she instantly looked away. Before she walked away, she glanced back once more, this time with a glare full of suspicion in her eyes.

His lips twitched upwards a barest inch, when a distant voice broke Itachi's focus.

"Brother," Sasuke had gone downstairs, and he was now climbing the stairs up again.

Itachi's eyes fluttered back to Sasuke for a split second, and when his gaze landed beyond the windows again, the girl had disappeared. In defeat, he devoted his full attention to his younger brother.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"I tried doing those seals on the door myself, but it won't work. Teach me."

Itachi smiled, as he slowly staggered to Sasuke and poke him on the forehead. "You're not skilled enough for that, Sasuke."

"I'm sure I can do it, brother! Just teach me!"

When no response but a smile followed, Sasuke huffed in annoyance and walked downstairs again.

"By the way, brother, when am I starting "high school?""

"Soon, Sasuke, soon."

* * *

**Notes**: Uwah! My first ever ItaSaku fic, though that doesn't necessarily mean they will end up together. I don't even know the meaning of this song, but when I heard it, the tune and the words "crow" and "butterfly" reminded me strongly of Itachi and Sakura. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!


	2. Flower

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**The Crow and the Butterfly**: Uchiha was the most powerful clan in the demon world. One day, Sasuke follwed his brother to the human world for the first time. For Itachi, however, he had already gone there numerous times, where he had passed most of his time gazing outside his window. ItaSasuSaku.

**Inspired By**: The song, "The Crow and the Butterfly" by Shinedown.

* * *

**The Crow and the Butterfly**

_Just like a crow chasing a butterfly_

2. Flower

* * *

His piercing onyx eyes watched his older brother in disapproval. Sasuke asked Itachi to help him train, but he was brushed away. What further annoyed him was that it was as if Itachi was glued on the wall by the window; he would not leave. It was not fair, but the younger Uchiha could only grumble. If his brother wasn't willing to train him, he would do so by himself.

"Brother, I'm going to explore!" Sasuke called out before he left the house, still ticked off that his brother had not even bothered to offer him a tour. It was his first time entering the human world, and deep down, Sasuke felt almost blind to his new surroundings.

The brave Uchiha stepped out to the bustling street in his usual black attire. He stood out like a sore thumb, the only black speck in the otherwise colourful and bright town. Smugly, holding his head slightly high, like everyone else was inferior to him (and he believed it was true), he walked down the street.

Only half an hour later, though, the blazing afternoon sun made Sasuke slightly light-headed. Not wanting to admit such fast defeat to the light, he searched for an area of shade. As he looked around, he realized he wasn't the only one weary from the stinging sun; most of the good shaded spots had been taken by the local townspeople.

Well, then, Uchiha Sasuke would have to take a forceful action to rid himself, and in effect, the town as well, of the scorching sun. He could also test his powers in this world of the mortals, and smirking proudly to himself, he felt a cackle of an electric spark light up in his left hand. Hastily, his coal-black eyes rapidly searched to see if he was well-hidden, and when he was sure no one was looking, he shot the tiny, yet powerful bolt of electric current straight up to the sky. Slowly, the clouds seemed to drift apart from the hit, and silently, Sasuke willed strongly for the sun to disappear.

The clouds darkened and crawled over to hide the sun, and at the moment the mortals looked up at the sky to wonder at the sudden darkness, the sky cracked open and poured out its tears.

The young Uchiha had not meant for it to rain, but it didn't matter as long as the sun was gone. A smirk pulled at his lips as he felt the satisfaction of overcoming light with his familiar darkness. He turned to continue his exploration, when something came crashing onto his back. Before he could spin around to see what – or who – it was, a bright flower flew into the rain. Almost instinctively, he grabbed for it.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I was just – " A muffled voice spoke from behind him, but in the midst of the crashing rain, it reached his ears like a melody. Strange, for Sasuke had found the crowds to be noisy and absolutely irritating, but it seemed that there were far pleasing human voices as well.

Hesitantly, for it was his very first contact with a mortal, he roughly grabbed an arm and hoisted the mysterious human up. When their eyes met, Sasuke heard something louder than the spitting rain.

It was his heart, almost maddeningly beating.

Her green eyes were open and wide, frozen from shock, but to Sasuke's surprise, she abruptly slapped him away.

"You!" She gritted through her teeth, her obvious yet unexplained anger seething from her very soul.

But Sasuke did not want to be shouted or questioned by an angry girl. For a reason inconceivable, a pang of desire shot through him. Licking his lips once, he delicately posed a question he never would have thought would prior.

"Tell me… What do you most desire?"

Uchiha Sasuke, as a demon, had power to grant the desires or the wishes of mortals, though of course, there were prices to pay. But only low demons whose only pleasure came from bullying or tricking humans did this. The higher demons had far more important things to do, and so, Sasuke was equally shocked at his own impulsive desire to ask her.

Instead of an answer, though, the pink-haired girl stiffened. The lovely, vivacious girl paled, as if her very life was draining away, and seconds trickled by in silence. When she next spoke, her question was heavy with suspicion and dread.

"Why are you asking me this again?"

Sasuke frowned; he met her for the first time! How could he have asked about her desire beforehand? And then, just as his brain spiraled desperately, rapidly to find some sort of answer, her mouth formed a strange "o" and a fierce blush spread on her face.

"Oh, it seems like I've mistaken you for someone else…" Her sheepish voice died down to a mumble.

He raised his eyebrows in turn, waiting for her to tell him just who she had mistaken him for, when a realization struck him. There really could be no one else but his own brother, Itachi…

Out of the blue, Uchiha Sasuke became painfully aware of something in his left hand. Without looking, he knew it was her flower. For his hasty need to find his brother, he offered her flower back, and was about to leave, when the sweet voice called out, effectively stopping him.

"Wait!"

Creases of frown marked her smooth face. She held the flower up to him, and for a second, Sasuke disheartened at the thought that she didn't want to accept anything from a demon. But then his rational side reminded him that nobody here – save for his brother – knew he was one. When his dark eyes rested on the flower, he realized the reasoning behind her wary confusion.

The flower he had given back was charred to a crisp black, almost unrecognizable for what it was.

His left hand, with its electrical residue, had unconsciously deprived the flower of its life. Hastily, he sneaked his right hand behind his back, and concentrating on a spell, conjured up another flower.

Silently, he offered it to her, who was about to protest, "I don't need a rose, I was just wondering – "

But in an instantaneous motion, too quick for the human perception, he craftily placed his red rose in her hands and disappeared the moment her eyes split away from him for a second.

* * *

**Notes**: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! This chapter was heavily focused on Sasuke and Sakura, but Itachi will appear much more (and soon) too! I apologize for the random cut-off at the end... I'm in a hurry, so here's a rather short update.


	3. Desire

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**The Crow and the Butterfly**: Uchiha was the most powerful clan in the demon world. One day, Sasuke follwed his brother to the human world for the first time. For Itachi, however, he had already gone there numerous times, where he had passed most of his time gazing outside his window. ItaSasuSaku.

**Inspired By**: The song, "The Crow and the Butterfly" by Shinedown.

* * *

**The Crow and the Butterfly**

_Just like a crow chasing a butterfly_

3. Desire

* * *

As Sasuke stormed back to the house, he vaguely cursed at his hastiness. He had never gotten the reply from her, the answer to what her desire was. It seemed that his impulsiveness was getting stronger as ever, but right at the moment, all he wanted to do was confront his brother. In long, quick strides, he dashed up the stairs, expectantly visioning the indifferent man by the window.

To his bewilderment, Itachi was not there. The window's curtains were drawn out, and the frames were slightly parted for the breezes to rush in, as if gently beckoning him over. Curious, Sasuke approached the window, his anger forgotten for the split moment. Like the last time he saw, there was nothing notable of this window, nor the view it offered. His irritation pulsated through him again, and he turned to go back downstairs. Outside, a pink-haired girl dashed into the house, a rose in her hand, but she was gone unseen by Sasuke's eyes.

Instinctively, Sasuke went up to the front door, and he saw a small note plastered on its woody surface, something he had been too angry to notice before.

The note read: "Something urgent came up, Sasuke. I'll be back soon."

And though Itachi's note did not specify just where he had gone to, the younger Uchiha knew, and his anger tremoured more violently than ever before.

His brother had gone back to the demon world, while he was left here, helpless and unable to perform the skills to go back himself.

. . .

"Uchiha Shisui… I expected much more from you." A great elder spoke, his voice commanding silence and attention.

The addressed man's head held down to the floor, his pride totally strewn away as he lowered himself to all the demons – higher and lower in rank than him – before him.

"You will be banished from this world; do you understand?"

Shisui's head twitched, mimicking a nod, and in a sudden uproar of anger, the elder stood up, the rest of the demons following him.

Before he stormed off, the elder spit contemptuously at Shisui. His demonic saliva, mixed with its fiery hot anger, sizzled the skin it touched.

"Giving yourself to the human world – you despicable fool!" And then, with a sharp twist of his footing, the elder turned toward the door, but it swung open before he could reach it.

"Itachi," he purred with approval, his dark eyes pretentiously curious and set on why such a powerful demon would bother himself to this meeting. Of course, everyone knew Itachi was a friend of Shisui's, but that was unspoken, for "friends" did not exist in the demon world.

"I believe Shisui's punishments are far too heavy – he has merely taken a human's girl's heart," Itachi's cool voice commanded the room to still. "And I believe these pesky feelings will dissolve away with time." The clever Uchiha knew he worded it the right way; had he said the opposite, where it was not the human girl but Shisui's heart that had been taken, his argument would have lost power. Had he, on the other hand, reasoned that a demon and a human falling in love did not deserve such high punishment, his claim would still have been weak.

The idea of love, and especially so with human, was not so favourable in this dark world.

"Itachi…" his friend finally detached from the ground to look up. His voice was quivering. "I accept the banishment, Itachi," There was a pause, but it was not out of hesitation; it was a pause to drive forth attention. In effect, the next part, though it was barely a whisper, was heard by everyone in the room.

"I accept it for I know love."

There was a heightened tension with various audible sharp gasps of shock that a demon had dared to say such.

Some of the more authoritative demons shuffled forward, their faces puffy with anger and betrayal, and their hands rose high to strike the man. Itachi stepped up, however, and they all halted to a stop, still seething with anger, but fear cowering them, dictating their body.

"I allow Uchiha Shisui in the demon world. He may come and go as he pleases."

The elder's face was grim and threatening to turn purple, but he bitterly nodded and set off quickly in search of lashing out his anger. Uchiha Itachi, everyone knew yet no one dared say it aloud, was getting stronger than Fugaku, and only time will serve to hand the reign to this already powerful man.

Slowly, the rest of the demons dispersed, and when Itachi was left alone with his friend, his eyes gleamed a threatening iciness.

"Don't be foolish, Shisui," His wintry voice hissed in warning, "so as to leave everything behind."

"Heh," Shisui managed a smile before he coughed up blood, but despite the torturous pain, he repeated, "I know love, Itachi, and it can make you do very strange things."

And because what Shisui had said was completely out of sync with the demonic code, friend or not, Itachi slapped him.

"Love," His voice was icy, as if no warmth could ever be enough to break its cold surface. "is _not_ for the demons."

. . .

When Itachi came back to the human world, he had fully anticipated his younger brother's tantrums. What he hadn't expected, though, was this question.

"Itachi, what do you desire?" His brother had taken the spot by his favourite window. Idly, Sasuke seemed to be observing a crisp, burned form of some unidentifiable flower. His voice had been indifferent, much like his own, but then, unlike his own, there was a sense of anxious curiosity underneath it. Sasuke was much hastier in covering up his emotions than Itachi.

The thoughtful Uchiha paused, before mimicking, "Sasuke… Tell me, what do _you_ desire?"

Instantly, his brother scoffed, clearly annoyed at Itachi's attempt to escape his question. Instead of egging the older Uchiha on, however, Sasuke simply answered, "I desire power. Don't _you_, Itachi?"

Itachi stood silent, his cold black eyes indecipherable, and then, he swept away and disappeared. Sasuke was left behind puzzled, wondering if that meant his older brother did desire power or not.

While, the calm Uchiha, with his cold heart frantic for answers, had craftily stepped away to the outside and into a secretive corner.

It was so strange. Uchiha Itachi had power, and perhaps it was because of this that he desire no more. Instead, he felt like he had no desire at all, yet deeper inside his cryptic heart and mind, there _was_ something he desired.

He just couldn't place what it was.

. . .

Haruno Sakura thrust the red rose to her mother and then dashed up the stairs to her room. Shutting the door closed, she climbed on the bed and hugged her knees.

'_Just what_ was _that?'_ She kept asking herself, the images of the mysterious man replaying in her mind, over and over again.

Gradually, her thoughts blurred to a similar man, the same dark-haired man with the equally mysterious eyes… Except, she realized that there was a vast difference between the two seemingly similar men. The one she had just met seemed rather… impulsive and daring, while the other… He was definitely more calculating and careful.

Her mind drifted off to recount the scene a few weeks prior.

. . .

_She had just attended the small celebration for the last day of school. There had been much partying, noise, food and drinks, yet as she walked home in the cool, refreshing evening, her memories were a mere blur._

_It certainly had been fun, hadn't it? And yet, there was this unexplainable feeling, a question creeping into her. 'Were you really there? Were you really enjoying it?' It seemed to ask._

_Just as she turned a corner, the route to her house memorized and walked on countless times, the pink-haired girl stopped. Suddenly, the cool breezes didn't seem so relaxing anymore; in fact, it made her skin crawl with abrupt, inconceivable fear. In an agonizingly slow motion, she looked around her surroundings and realized she was lost. But it couldn't be! _

_Before she had much time to think further, a cold, yet delicately rich voice reached her ears, commanding her to stop thinking, to stop wondering._

"_Sakura."_

_She felt her body chill again, petrified that some stranger knew her name and had possibly somehow allured her here. Of course, that wasn't possible, for she was a rather perceptive girl, and she cast away that thought._

_Her green glowing eyes caught the end of some rich, black cloth, and then her vision was filled with rest of that same black._

_Before her, a hauntingly beautiful man stood, a few meters away. He seemed too surreal at the moment, made more magical by the darkening sky and the low lullabies of the wind._

"_What do you desire?" He spoke again, before Sakura had a chance to demand how he had known her name._

_But his question struck something in her, and feeling too enchanted to stubbornly run away, she answered the deep, honest feelings her heart had been aching over especially so these past few months._

"_I – I don't desire anything." Saying it out loud, for some reason, crushed her heart. It felt like she was confessing her deepest secrets that yes, her life felt mundane, and that there was nothing giving her genuine pleasure. Nothing seemed to make her really happy in her life._

_Strangely, the man stood still, the silence between them thickening with the heavy air. Slowly, he drawled out his words once more, and there appeared to be a flicker of confusion to his voice. Perhaps, that had been her imagination._

"_Humans desire," he said it as a matter of fact, and the authoritative aura he gave out almost made her nod in agreement. "It is much easier for humans to live with desire, to live with greed."_

_But Sakura was shaking her head instead. "You're right; I do get selfish many times, but," Here, her voice lowered to a whisper, her tone one filled with curious shame. "But there is nothing I want right now. Sometimes, I just want to run away from it all."_

_Her deepest, real desire had been spilled out, and when her heart steadied the slightest bit to look up at the man, her heart pounded wildly again. He was gazing at her with such intensity, but he made no move to speak nor move, like he was literally frozen in place. It seemed as if he wanted to say something more, but he was still, and Sakura took the opportunity to run away._

. . .

Her jade eyes rested on a calendar by her bed, and then to her window. Thankfully, her window did not look out the street, and in effect, to the window of the house opposite hers. Ever since that mysterious encounter with him a few weeks ago, Sakura couldn't help but feel like she was watched.

Her eyes drifted back on the calendar again, and her heart raced lightly at the anticipation of a new school year in a few days. Sakura obviously did not look forward to school, but it did keep her mind busy, away from her thoughts of (now two) mysterious men. The uncomfortable fact still dwelled that the neighbors across from her house were strange, but she hoped that once school started, she'll have even less time to see them anyway.

* * *

**Notes**: Thank you for all the great reviews! They're great motivation. It's Christmas but here I am with a new chapter! I hope everyone have/had a wonderful Christmas!


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